Help Us Assess Effective Approaches to Improving Math and Reading Instruction

Do you ever wonder how the instructional curriculum, materials, and professional development you use affect student achievement? You may be in a position to help answer that question.

Schools and districts across the United States have an opportunity to participate in a study of widely used elementary reading and math programs. Researchers at SEDL and the University of Wisconsin-Madison are undertaking a study that will determine the impact of Imagine It!, an Open Court Reading program, and Everyday Mathematics on teacher practices and student academic achievement. We are currently looking for volunteers to participate in the study. By participating, your school or district will help researchers take steps toward identifying effective core math and reading programs. Your actions may also increase students’ performance on state-mandated reading and math assessments.

To be eligible to participate, districts need to have at least four elementary schools containing kindergarten through fifth grade that are willing to implement either Imagine It! or Everyday Mathematics. Each school must have at least 44 students in each grade (K–5) included in the study. Participating schools will receive approximately $3,200 worth of either Imagine It! or Everyday Mathematics materials for each classroom as well as training and technical support for the duration of the study.

The study will begin with the 2011–2012 school year and last for 3 years. Learn more about the study by visiting research.sedl.org/ocr-em/. If you have questions or would like to nominate your district, contact Dewi Smith at (800) 476-6861 or by email at dewi.smith@sedl.org.

About SEDL

SEDL (formerly Southwest Educational Development Laboratory) is a nonprofit corporation based in Austin, Texas. SEDL is dedicated to solving significant education problems and improving teaching and learning through research, research-based resources, and professional development. For more information about SEDL, visit http://www.sedl.org/about/.